8/31/11 - Vocabulary

Predicting - guessing what will happen in the story, based on clues and information.

Making Inferences - a logical guess a reader makes based on the evidence in the text.

Cause and Effect - A cause is what makes something happen and the effect is what happens.

Setting - When and where the story takes place

Characterization - is the method used to develop a character. This can include what the character looks like, their actions, their thoughts, the way they talk, and how other react to the character.


8/22/11 - Active Reading Strategies

Connect - Connect personally with what your reading. Think of similarities between the descriptions in the selection and what you have personally experienced, heard about, and read about.


Visualize - Visualize the characters, events, and setting to help you understand what's happening. When you read nonfiction, pay attention to the images that form in your mind as you read.


Predict - Try to figure out what will happen next and how the selection might end. Read on to see how accurate your guesses were.


Infer - To use the information from the text to make a reasonable guess about a particular situation. The guess should make a lot of sense.


Question - Question what happens while you read. Searching for reasons behind events and characters' feelings can help you feel closer to what you are reading.


Clarify/Identify - Stop occasionally to review what you understand, and expect to have your understanding change and develop as you read on. Use resources to help you clarify your understanding. Reread as necessary.

Evaluate - Form opinions about what you read, both while your reading and after you've finished. Develop your own ideas about characters and events.